Why I Now Love Snow

Why I Now Love Snow!

Sunday evening it snowed.  And for the first time in decades, I did not hate it.  I might go so far as to say I liked it.  I might have enjoyed it.  It made me smile.

But not because I enjoyed the snow itself.  Not because the nature of that evil, winter-embedded, effect-of-the-fall has been altered or redeemed.

No.  I now love snow because someone I love smiled at it.

I am not sure why THIS smile made a difference in my too-small heart.  Certainly, over the years, others whom I love have smiled at snow, and nothing in my attitude has changed.  But this time it was different.

The moment that I watched my granddaughter’s smile as she experienced snow warmed my heart towards that monstrosity.  The moment I watched my granddaughter’s smile as she experienced snow melted my hatred of that frozen, cold, awful useless stuff.

She loved it… and so I did, too.

While I sometimes claim independence of thought and emotional reaction, when someone whom I love loves something, it often changes my reaction to it.

She loved it… and so I did, too.

If this is true for Willa and snow and me, it is even more true for Jesus and me.

Jesus loves a lot of people that I have decided not to love.  And my love of Him needs to alter my attitude towards them.  While you might think I am speaking about ‘all the people of the world,’ I am not, yet, stretching my mind that far.  I am speaking about Christ’s beloved bride… His beloved believers… His Redeemed.

So many of whom I don’t love.  Far too many.  Disagreement about political ideology, personality quirks, past offenses, present jealousies, small-mindedness… these things have given me ‘permission’ to not love so many of Christ’s children.  But Jesus loves them.  Jesus LOVES them.  He smiles.  And it needs to warm my heart.

Jesus even loves me, whom I don’t often love.  I find it easy to listen to Satan’s accusations, the world’s disdain, and the memory (and presence) of my old man.  And forgetting Jesus’ smile, I despise myself.  But He loves me.   He LOVES me.  He smiles.  And it needs to warm my heart.

Not because myself or these others are all that loveable.  We often aren’t.   Just like snow that gets under collars, causes much shoveling, chills feet and fingers, signifies winter’s misery, and is just plain horrible is not all that loveable.

But Willa loves it.  And so do I.

Jesus loves you… and so do I.

Alone

Watching the political circus last week… listening to popular music… observing the extremes that people (good people, too) go to in search of companionship… all have made me think about loneliness.

It’s not good for humans to be alone. (Gen. 2:18)
God knew what He was talking about.

We argue about being disenfranchised, change our personality to be more attractive, search for and take on quests, and walk around in hopeful wonder among beautiful people… all because we don’t want to be alone.  Or to feel alone.  Or to have others think we are alone.

As I consider it… most of my sins are motivated by a feeling of loneliness.  Most of my problems are caused by me seeking to end loneliness in unnecessary ways.  Most of my fears center around loneliness.

When Jesus stated that He came among us so that we would have abundant life, I am convinced that this is a big part of the abundance to which he was referring.

We aren’t alone.

Of course, most obviously, He meant that we aren’t alone because HE will never leave us or forsake us.  We need to hear that because we often don’t SENSE His presence.  He promises it because He wants us to find it through faith, not through our senses.  It is comforting because HIS promises are better than our knowledge.

We aren’t alone because HE is with us.

But He doesn’t just leave us there.  He created the Covenant Community precisely because it is not good for us to be alone.  He formed the church precisely because it is not good for us to be alone.  He introduces us to Christians around us precisely because it is not good for us to be alone.

We aren’t alone because HIS BRIDE, the church, is with us.

This is where we should search to end our loneliness.  This is where we can dig to find the treasure of companionship.  This is when we are knitted together in an anti-loneliness web. 

We aren’t alone.

Sigh of relief.

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Wednesday        6:00        COLD WEATHER food!  JubiWednesday.  The armor of God.

Sunday                 10:00     Prayer Meeting

                                11:00     Worship

                                12:30 ish  SECOND SUNDAY DINNER

October 19/20 The Second Jubilee Non Camping Campout!

                                We will meet for dinner (hot dogs and such) at 6:00. 

                                Followed by a family friendly, exciting, enjoyable, relaxing MOVIE.

                                Followed by discussion… but not TOO much.

                                Saturday morning, we will meet at 7:30 for campstyle breakfast, prayer,

simple Bible reading, and fellowship.

October 25 Hobby and Book Club in the Lobby.  “Martin Luther Had a Wife,” led by Patti. Snacks.

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Delight

Delights

Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Ps. 37:4 ESV)

God is good.

We say that sort of thing a lot. 

But I have recently noticed a particular way that it is true.  A great way.  An exciting way.  A majestic way.

I am starting to notice that God not only gives us, His people, the desires of our heart, but in a strange and smiley way He gives His adults the desires our hearts had when we were children.

I see children who love their families grow up to find such solace in family.

I see kids who love baseball grow up to be able to take part in basebally activities as adults.

I see young folk who love laughter grow up to use laughter in their adult lives as a balm to others and to themselves.

I see little folk who love drawing grow up to gift their communities as adults through their artistic activities.

I see that God gives good dreams, and then let’s us fulfill them.

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What Do I Know?

What Do I Know?

I don’t understand the Algebraic Formula for graphic an equation for a circle.  But I know how to ‘do’ it.  I know which numbers to plug into which spots to solve or create an equation that graphs into a circular shape.  It’s simply true.  Not because I have used any superior brain power to make it true.  But simply because it is true.

Electricity works the same way.  So does microscopic surgical cell repair.  So does quantum physics.  So do a lot of things.  It is not my reasoning that makes something true.  Facts are true NOT simply because I have figured them out.

And things about God work that way, too.

He isn’t POWERFUL because I have determined through Scripture, logical deduction, or even observation that He is powerful. 

He isn’t Holy because I have determined through Scripture, logical deduction, or even observation that He is Holy.

He isn’t Gracious because I have determined through Scripture, logical deduction, or even observiation that He is full of Grace, eager to be Gracious, the epitome of Grace.

While I can sometimes use my reasoning mind to discover these things (and more) about God, He is those things whether I discover them or not.  Or even if I agree with them or not.

The Facts of God simply are.  I can attach to them with reason, observation, or faith.  But those things don’t MAKE God-facts true.

My reason, just like my feelings, are good and useful things to discover God and His ways.  But His ways are beyond my control.  His ways are true.

So very true.

And when my brain is fuddled or confused… that is comfort.  When my reasoning is faulty, it doesn’t change Who He is… and that is comfort.   When I don’t understand or understand wrongly, He still is Who He is.

That’s a fact.
And I can rest on that.

Feelings...

It’s not about feelings… it’s about facts.

Sometimes I hate my clock.  I don’t always feel tired at “bedtime,” you see.  And I don’t always feel like it is time to get up when the alarm alerts me. 

But my feelings don’t matter.  I have places to go and people to see.

What if last week I claimed it wasn’t raining because I felt dry? 

What if I don’t feel 56? Or 57?

No, I have not gone all grumpy, cold-hearted, and mechanistic.

But I have realized that we give too much attention to our feelings, particularly when it comes to our relationship with Jesus.

Some days I don’t feel loved by Him.  I often don’t feel forgiven by Him.  I am not always basking in the wonder of His providence. 

But my feelings don’t change the facts.

He loves me (Jeremiah 31:3.)

He protects me (Matthew 10:29-31.)

He has forgiven me (I John 3:16.)

Those are the facts.

Talents

Talents

Words have interesting connections, sometimes.  In the Old Testament, a ‘talent’ was a small bar of precious metal.  Think silver or gold.  King James’ English simply used the transliterated word, rather than alter it to “hunk of gold.”

So when Jesus told the parable about the Master who goes on a journey and gives some of his wealth to his servants to look after while he is gone, Jesus says that the Master gave them talents.  The servants used those talents with a range of intentions and results.  But it is clear that he did NOT give those talents to his servants for their own benefit.

Those talents were not for them.

While perhaps not the most theologically profound application, the parable touches home when we use the word, ‘talent,’ instead of ‘talent.’

The Master has given to us a talent or two, too.  

And we use them with a range of intentions and results.

But He didn’t give them to us for our own benefit.  He gave them to us to expand His kingdom.

Burying them in the backyard is not really an option.  (Even if your particular talent IS digging holes…)

Northern Lights

Northern Lights

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

I don’t understand Northern Lights.  I have read scientific descriptions of what causes them.  I have studied models of orbit and atmosphere that explain how they appear.  But I still don’t get it.  

I haven’t seen them often.

But a few years ago, while driving late at night in Eastern South Dakota, I saw them more clearly than I ever had.

The Northern sky seemed covered with a writhing edgewise ribbon of bluish light.  The light-ribbon shifted in atmospheric energy winds… rippling with a surreal sense of physical presence.  If I could have jumped high enough, it seemed like I could grab it.  Whatever it was.

And I could almost hear it.  At the edge of auditory existence, the Northern Lights nearly hummed and teased me with an almost understood symphony.

Stopped by the side of the road, pupils dilated, mouth agape, you could have mistaken me for an ancient traveler overwhelmed by a sudden display of wizardry or magic.  But this was real.

It doesn’t happen often in this cynical and over-confident world.  But I encountered something I didn’t understand

And rather than ignore it… or explain it away… or rationalize… I was just amazed that God makes such things

I need to be amazed like that more often.  Every time a baby is born.  Every time a seed sprouts.  Every time a bird flies.  Every time a fish nibbles at my hook and then laughs away.  Every time old eyes flash with youthfulness.  Every time a violin sings.  Every time someone lost comes home.  Every time I make a friend.  Every time I remember yesterday.  Every time I forget sorrow.  Every time someone laughs.  Every time I can shout about Jesus and not face arrest.  Every time I wake up.  Every time.  Just every time.

Joy in the Morning

The Joy of Antiques

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Ps. 30:5 ESV)

People enjoy antiques.  Those old bits of furniture, decorations, and nick-nacks that add such flavor and classiness to living-rooms, porches, and walls.

But think for a moment about what those antiques really are.

Antiques are old, broken, worn out things… that have somehow been fixed and made beautiful.   There is something about them in fact, that is more beautiful than when they were new.  When fixed and redecorated they are indeed something shiny and bright, but with an attachment to when they weren’t.

When it comes to furniture, antiques are richer than brand new.

When it comes to sentimental things, antiques have more connection than new things.

When it comes to you, too… the old broken you is what makes the Jesus-fixed you precious.

The purpose of being broken is being fixed.  The reason we have problems is to enjoy the solution.  The best thing about the night is not the darkness, but the dawn.

I’m an antique, and I will be an antique forever.  While we know of the old nails and split wood, I am no longer broken.  While we don’t forget yesterday’s brokenness, in Christ, we are fixed and made new.

And it is beautiful.

Huh? Always learning...

The value of questions…

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1 ESV)

One of my favorite regular Saturday Night Live Skits involved Rosanna Rosanna Danna.   She would begin the skit expressing great anger (or at least angst) about some current events issue, but with some clear misunderstanding.  For instance, she once complained about “too much violins on television.”  Then eventually, she understood that she should have said, “too much VIOLENCE” on television.  She usually concluded her false and foolish tirade with a blank look at the camera, and the phrase, “never mind.”

I remembered her this morning.  I received an email asking: “Are we praying too much for education?”  My mind raced through the implications and inferences found in that question.  Can we pray too much for ANYTHING?  Is the question intended to spur us on to ACTION instead of mere prayer?  Should we in fact be starting a revolution AGAINST our present educational system, instead of praying FOR it?  

What did the author mean?

And then I looked more closely… and saw that the email read: “Are we PAYING too much for education?”

Never mind.

But in the end, I had a pleasant few minutes contemplating Prayer and Current Events.  I was challenged to increase my reliance on prayer as powerful.  I was encouraged to pray in faith, rather than knowledge.  I was reminded how often I form opinions before I pray.  I decided that we have many means of ‘praying without ceasing.’

Even my silly misunderstandings can lead to truth…

Stars and Faith

The Stars of Abraham

And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Gen. 15:5-6 ESV)

Abram didn’t just see a lot of stars.  Of course, there ARE a lot of stars.  I imagine that Abram was moved dramatically by the silent hugeness of the panoply of tiny lights.  But it wasn’t the wonder of the stars that led to Abram’s belief.

It was his choice to believe God’s attached and very practical promise.  God’s promise made no sense.  Abram had been waiting to have children with Sarai for many years.  God had said, “You will have children, a nation,” and Abram had believed.  But time after time, God’s promise had not come true.  Every day Abram probably felt a little more foolish.  A little more naïve.  His promise become every year… maybe every day… a little more unlikely.

This is why Abram tried to help God out a couple of times… using Hagar, for instance.  Because God seemed to be having trouble keeping His promise. 

Or maybe Abram was actually more faithful than that.  Maybe he wasn’t trying to help God… but instead was trying to find the right complicated, twisted, odd path that COULD cause God’s promise to be kept.  As if God had not given Abram a promise, but a puzzle… a riddle… a mystery.  And Abram was trying to find the answer.

But really the answer was simple and small.  His old wife was really just going to have a baby.  And that baby would have a baby.  And that baby would have a bunch of babies.  And those babies would have many more.  And eventually the rest of us would be grafted in, though the real miracle here… the Christ.

Believing God was hard for Abram.  He was believing the impossible… the practical, reality-filled, simple, natural impossible.

That is why it took faith.

And that faith was seen by God as righteousness… saving righteousness… relation-proving righteousness… Covenant forming and Covenant keeping righteousness.

And this makes me look at what I believe.  It is easy to ‘believe’ Big Promises concerning eternal life, or the establishment of The Kingdom, or the reality of Trinity, or God’s Ultimate Faithfulness.

But it is harder to believe like Abram, in the small, dirt touching, daily focused, senses effecting NOW kind of small promise.  Like having a baby.  Or like safety.  Or like emotional sunrise.  Or like getting the right job.  Or like enough bread in the pantry.  Or like enough money in the checkbook.  Or like the end of loneliness before heaven.  Or like… something… very… real… and… practical.

That’s what Abram believed.

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

Two Advertisements and a Reminder

Two Advertisements and a Reminder

Two opportunities at Jubilee for some musical niftiness.  But more than that, they are opportunities to be together.  They are opportunities to be working at being one.  They are opportunities to be doing more than ‘work’ together, but to rest together, enjoy together, and laugh together.

First, at JubiWednesday (continuing our lighter themes for the summer) we will be eating, of course… and then enjoying some Recitals from some Music Students.  Maybe you’ll know some of the children, and maybe you’ll know all of them.  Come encourage, enjoy, and be entertained.  Six for food (please come!) and 7 for Recitals.

Second, Sunday evening we will be listening to Jeremy Casella.  We’ve been advertising this for a few months.  Jeremy Casella is one of those ‘just under the surface’ musicians who really should be better known.  I hadn’t heard of him before Dana Daggett introduced us, but in listening to Jeremy’s work, I have found a man of graceful insights and skillful use of melody, harmony, and thought.  He will start his “Living Room Show” at 7, and be finished by 8:30 to mingle with us.

Third, a reminder… even though “Life… it’s not about you…”  JESUS loves you, does for you, and even though He doesn’t HAVE to be… IS about you!

A Day of Dependence

Dependence Day

“…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

 As I have thought about the history of the world and the development of various nations and people groups throughout the world, it seems more and more clear to me that God knows what He is doing.  And one of the things He seems to have done is to give cultures, societies and nations certain distinctives or characteristics.  For instance, when we think of the ancient Greeks, we think of philosophy.  When we think of the ancient Celts, we think of strong passion.  When we think of the medieval Germans, we think of efficiency.

 However, along with that characteristic that God gives a people, He also seems to give a flaw.  And usually, that flaw coincides with the characteristic.  The thing that makes a nation strong, also tends to be it’s downfall.

 When I consider the USA, as is appropriate this week and as I consider our history, what might we say is America’s strong characteristic?  A quick glance at the birth of our nation tells us that our strength is our love of freedom.  Our founding document is called the “Declaration of INDEPENDENCE.”  We are the home of the free.  Our Freedoms, our independence, our self-sufficiency have made our nation great.

But they are also the source of our downfall, I fear.  Our belief in self-sufficiency has led to a lack of God-sufficiency.  Our tight two-armed grasp of freedom has made us forget that we are bond slaves of our Savior.  Our love of independence has caused us to forget that we are dependent upon God.

 Perhaps we need a Declaration of Dependence to sit alongside our Declaration of Independence.  A declaration that reminds us of our need for God… of our dependence on Him.

 William Wallace, the Scottish patriot, was tried for treason in London in the early 14th century.  His main defense was that he had never declared that Edward was his king.  The studied answer of the crown was that that made no difference.  Edward was his king whether acknowledged or not.

 That is how it is with God.  He IS sovereign.  We ARE dependent.  Not because we declare it… not because we want it… not because it makes us feel safe.  But simply because that is the underlying truth of mankind’s existence. 

 We are dependent on Him.

One Job

Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matt. 18:21-22 ESV)

One Job

I saw a picture of a some hamburger buns packaged in a hot dog bun bag, and some hot dog buns packaged in a hamburger bun bag.  The label for the meme was, “You had ONE job!”

I laughed… that poor factory worker who pushed the wrong button… 

Until I remembered that I am just like that factory worker.

When it comes to how God expects us to treat each other, we have one job.  While it seems like there are many commandments, many requirements, many expectations, one job rises to the top.

Our one job is to forgive each other.

Just like God’s love for us is manifested most in his forgiveness, our love for each other is most clear in how easily, eagerly, or gladly we forgive other people… particularly Christians.

But we choose not to, and call our evil, good.

We don’t forgive because that jerk hasn’t apologized yet.

We don’t forgive because we aren’t sure they MEANT, “I’m sorry.”

We don’t forgive because she repeated the offensive act.  Twice.

We don’t forgive because he doesn’t deserve it.

We don’t forgive because the hurt is too deep.

We don’t forgive because sometimes being angry feels too comfortable.

God forgives even when we haven’t apologized, or meant, “I’m sorry.”  God forgives even when we repeat our sin.  Twice.  He forgives when we don’t deserve it.  He forgives though we have hurt Him… we killed His Son.   He moves away from His righteous and comfortable and just wrath… and forgives.

We have one job.

Forgive.  Because we've been forgiven. :-)

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Jubilee Things

Wednesday 6:00 JubiWednesday!  The first of our community presentations!  DeAnne presents…

Saturday     7:00 Men’s Bible Study Breakfast at Jubilee

Sunday    10:00 Prayer Meeting

                 11:00 Worship!

July 6 Movie Night 7:00 pm

July 22  Jeremy Casella:  The Living Room Show

Landscape Plans… consider and talk to Tom or a Deacon

Hobby in the Lobby will just be Hobbying for the summer… not booking. June 21, July 19, Aug 16.  Book Club will return Sept 20.

Vacation Bible School… looks like August 15,16, and 17 in the evening.  We need you!  This will be grand!

What Do You Want to Do?

What Do You Want to Do?

When I was a child, I couldn’t wait to be a grown up and do whatever I wanted.  No more chores like mowing the lawn in the summer heat.  No more reading books that I was TOLD to read.  No more going to bed on time, or getting up on time, or eating on time, or showing up on time, or thinking about time at ALL.

And then I became legally an adult.  And got married.  And had mortgages for houses I loved.  And had children.  And learned the joy of service (sometimes.)  And learned of the danger of obeying my whims instead of God’s WHIMS. 

And one day… both gradually and suddenly… I realized that being an adult did not mean finally being able to do what I want to do.  But rather doing what the love of God and others allows me to do.

I almost wrote, “requires” me to do.  But that is not quite right.  Certainly God’s law, external to me, requires actions, words, and thoughts from me.  But that is not why I do them.

Martin Luther was the greatest of the “Bait and Switch” evangelists.  He claimed that once we become a Christian we are free to do whatever we want.  But what we want to do, changes.

We are not the masters of our fate.  We are not the deciders of what is good.  We are not the source of freedom.  We are not children finally having selfish, childish, fire-crackish giddy adventures. 

We are free, instead, to do as we were created to do, and restored to be able to do.  We are free to be Christs to each other (no one else is free to do that, because only His people can.)  We are free to do what HE wants us to do (our Creator who knows us and our limits and our potential.)  We are free to choose what is both loving and lovely (while those without Christ can only choose selfish and shallow.)  We are free to do what He has freed us to be.

And that is not what, before and without Christ, I wanted to do.

But more and more… some days better than others… some moments richer than others… some times more real than others… I want to do.

Broken

I know a car mechanic who understood job security.  We stood and looked out his front window at the nearby street and he uttered, “everyone one of those cars is broken.  No matter what it looks like.”

I think about that every time I hear about a friend who is broken.  You see, no matter what it looks like, we are all hurting.  A lot.  We put on nice strong church faces, but I expect that every person you know has grieved this week. 

If you want some poor science, but true understanding, just consider yourself.  You smile at the grocery store while inside you are thinking about your recent doctor visit, where he said the “C” word.  You talk on the phone to a cousin and laugh, but on the back burner of your brain you are remembering the threat of a layoff.  You sit at the table with your family, chewing and swallowing, but your eyes are searching your children’s in fear… or worry… or with terrible knowledge.

Every one of us is broken.

And those words are far too small and glib.

I am actually not the most sensitive of humans.  But even so, this last week I have listened to grievous stories from three close friends that blurred my vision and took away my appetite.  And those three stories reminded me of a few more. 

We are all broken.

We have been trained by media and fear of pain to assume that people with HUGE problems are off there somewhere… behind the distant clouds or international borders.  We believe the lie that we are all doing ok.

But we all are broken.

Our optimistic dreams are often forgotten instead of fulfilled.  Our checkbooks are empty.  Our backs ache.  Our jobs aren’t changing the world.  Our evenings are lonely.  Our clocks and calendars are too fast. 

… broken…

We hide it.  We deny it.  We keep it inside.  We have stiff upper lips.  We don’t admit that our pillows are stained with bitter tears.  And even if on rare occasions we express our own dark-shadowed sorrows, we seem alone in our fears, our tears, and our darkness.  We are sad islands.

My goal today is not to offer an answer to our sorrows.  Although there is a great answer.  But for now, it is my hope that we consider two things.

First, remember that every face that faces your face has sorrow, too.    Ease up on each other.  Just like you, the people all around you are losing sleep.

And second, stop hiding.  Tell your spouse.  Take the time to tell your friends, and to listen.  The light of open revelation always makes the shadows flee.  Stop hiding.

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Wednesday 6:00               Jubiwednesday!  Come ‘friend’ with us.

Saturday      7:00               Men’s Breakfast/Bible Study at Cracker Barrell

July 22  Jeremy Casella:  The Living Room Show

Hobby in the Lobby will just be Hobbying for the summer… not booking. June 21, July 19, Aug 16.  Book Club will return Sept 20.

Towards the end of summer we would like to host a Sunnydale Vacation Bible School!  But we need workers… are you willing and able to help out?

I Don't Particularly Like Chicken

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,  remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 1:2-3 ESV)

She nudged me, and gave me one of those delighted looks.  Fairley said, “we’re going to have chicken.”  The “chicken” was not said in bold print, but more in a celebrative font.  Implying fireworks, toothy grins, and hearty cheers.

In Australia (unlike Mississippi) chicken was what you served guests that you wanted to impress.  Steak, oddly enough, was what you served guests when your budget didn’t allow for extravagance.

We were going to have chicken.  And I had to choose to be impressed.  Or perhaps, I GOT to choose to be impressed.   The fact that I am not particularly a fan of eating chickens didn’t matter.

Receiving gifts is so much better when we receive them using the eyes of the giver.  When Fairley offered me chicken, she was offering me love, hard work, financial sacrifice, and hope.  

Gifts… they are not for us.  They are from someone.

This is true on your birthday, on a random day, and even regarding the free gift of Jesus.  Consider the giver and you’ll find a lot less to complain about in life.  You’ll also find Joy.

Memories

Faulty Memories

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, Colossians 1:19

It’s funny (sort of) how our memories change.  I remember being the absolute worst baseball player on my little league team.  But I probably wasn’t all that bad.

I remember being the most stylish dude at my Senior Prom.  But now I look at the picture of my long shaggy hair, wide lapels, loud cummerbund and goofy grin and I just laugh.  And laugh.  And laugh.

I remember being a hero when I probably wasn’t.  I remember being a failure when I probably wasn’t.  Our memories are untrustworthy, altered by time, and usually biased.

Memorial Day is a good holiday.  It is a time to remember.  At first, on Memorial Day we remembered those who had sacrificed their lives in the Armed Forces.  In more recent years, we have added those who sacrificed in any public service.  And even those who served, without loss of life.

All good things to remember.  All good reasons to have a holiday.

But don’t forget… that memory is faulty.   Whether it is over-rating a heroic family member… or ignoring the faults of those who have sacrificed… or focusing on only half of the story… our memory is faulty.

As we “remember” this weekend, let’s be grateful, nostalgic, and proud.  But let’s also be accurate.

In fact, I think that being accurate in our memories honors the one remembered more.  Glossing over faults doesn’t prove we loved Grandpa.  Being truthful and complete shows we loved HIM.  Purposefully forgetting the troubling times doesn’t make the happy times more memorable.  In fact, remembering the troubles helps us appreciate the good.

And… setting up our ‘heroes’ as faultless belittles the One who IS faultless.  Only one hero was perfect.  Only one hero has NO bad side.  Only one hero is impossible to over-rate.  The Savior, Jesus Christ.

Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1 ESV)

I am tired of faith.

Faith is not ‘extreme confidence.’  Faith is not ‘what we really, really, really, really know.’

Faith is what God gives us when we do NOT know.

Faith is what we choose, when our circumstances and senses give us fits of terror.

Faith is the result of the unpleasant realization that though we are Promised much, sometimes the fulfillment of those Promises seems distant.

Faith looks like foolish naivete.  Faith looks like simplicity.  Faith looks like giving up.  Faith looks like foolishness to those without it.

And when I have to choose faith because my world doesn’t make sense, it is a painful relief.  When I am given faith because my knowledge and experience have let me down, it is a peaceful embarrassment.  When like my namesake, I am ‘Doubting’ on my way to assurance, and Jesus lets my fingers feel the hole in His side, my knees become my resting place… in grateful wonder.

But faith is not what I need.  It is not ever really enough.  I need what our faith is IN.  I need Him.  I need Jesus.  

I am glad that God gives us faith.  We need it.  But when we don’t need it anymore:  That will be grand!

Oh Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight.

Daisy Questions

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn. 15:13 ESV)

He loves me, He loves me not…

I don’t think I ever played that daisy-game, where petals are plucked, and a mantra expressed.  “She loves me, she loves me not…”  It seemed a very random method for determining a very, very, very important fact.

But we play that game with Christ, I think.

Does He love me?  It doesn’t ‘seem’ like it sometimes.  When a storm hits.  When tragedies are center stage.  When our community becomes Godless.  When our plans fail.  When our plans fail to do what we wanted them to do.

We ask (even if only internally,) “how does THIS show that Jesus loves me?”

And that is the wrong question.

First, because we don’t know, yet, the end result of the bad thing we are experiencing.  Today’s tragedy often becomes tomorrow’s joy.  Think the disciples in the upper room.  Or, think about the job you lost that led to a BETTER job.  Or, remember that our sorrows lead to tighter God hugs.

Second, because He has told us He loves us.  In neon-lit words in Scripture.  In those many times we ARE able to see the ‘good.’  In the shouts of beauty and wonder of creation’s pictures and the music of the spheres.

And third, because He has shown us.  He declared that love is best shown not by merely giving fun presents, or looking deeply into moon-struck eyes, or listening to lovey-dovey music, or sending thoughtful cards.  But love, He says (and this is God talking, THE creator and therefor definer of ALL things) that love is shown by sacrifice.  And then Jesus sacrificed everything.

He loves you.

I need to remember that when distracted by false petals.

Skunks and Sin

There might be more than one way to skin a cat, but there is only one way to deal with Sin… and to trap a skunk.

There was a skunk in my shed.  And, beyond even the stink, the skunk reminded me of sin.  This, I thought, was a strange skunk.  I had kicked and bumped and rattled the corner where he was hiding, and he didn’t react, or reveal himself.  I only found him because I was distractedly looking in the corner for some other irrelevant things.  I wasn’t even sure he was alive.  He just… laid there. 

I ran, with panic in my step.  We weren’t done pushing the camper out of the shed, and I thought about just leaving the camper there.  Permanently.  I thought about having one of the folk helping me with the trailer take the ‘inside’ position.  And not telling them about the skunk.  I thought about just proceeding with the camper removal, and ignoring the skunk.  Until he died, got bored, or just left of his own accord.  Did I really need that shed?

But I finally just took the steps to get rid of the shed.  Animal Control was unwilling to help.  A small nuclear device placed discretely in the shed seemed like overkill.  And I don’t have a small nuclear device.  No, I had to trap it… drag the cage into the field… and dispatch the skunk.  (For environmentalists who might be reading, at present Kansas has a plethora of wild skunks.  I would have had to transport the cute little sharp-nosed beastie to central Oklahoma to find a region that is presently welcoming skunk immigrants.)

No shortcuts.  No skunk.

And getting rid of sin works the same way.  I prefer to ignore my sin if it isn’t rabid.  I am willing to let the sin survive and place others in danger.  I toy with the idea of destructive behavior that is ruinous, but at least gets rid of the sin.

But there is only one way.

Jesus.

His death pays for it, exchanging on the cross my sinfulness with Christ’s perfection.  His life fixes my life, with His righteousness being attributed to me.  His example motivates me.  His grand relationship with His wrathful Father allows me to have the same relationship with Him.

We try lots of other ways.  Exerting our will.  Convincing ourselves that our sin is someone else’s fault.  Ignoring our sin.  Hoping our sin will leave on its own.  But there is only one way.

Jesus… sin killer.

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This week

Wednesday        6:00 pm               Jubiwednesday!  Chicken! Nehemiah!  Friends!

Saturday              7:00 am                Men’s Bible Study and Breakfast

Sunday                 10:00 am             Pray with us… to our loving King.

                                11:00 am             Worship with us… before our awesome King.

Missionary Aviation Fellowship  A representative of the MAF will be attending a Jubiwednesday soon to explain their work in assisting mission transport to isolated areas.

Change for Life Baby Bottle Campaign

The mission of Embrace is to serve individuals and families with the love of Christ empowering them to:

-Choose Life

-Practice sexual integrity

-Experience physical, emotional and spiritual wholeness

We provide pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, mentorship, social service support, STD testing and treatment, along with relationship and parenting classes at no or low cost to the client.

The baby bottle campaign is easy. 

1.)    We bring empty baby bottles to your church with a table display; you set them out Mother’s Day.

2.)     Your congregation takes one bottle home, fills with spare change and returns on Father’s Day.